How to make pesto: your easy video guide

Buy the 6 ingredients outlined in the first video, grab a small blender and cheese grater, and you’ll soon have enough fresh, crunchy Ligurian basil pesto to smother over your favourite pasta shapes and feed two.

(For a written version of this page, click here.)

Let’s get busy then! Just click to play the videos below in order.

To confirm, these are the ingredients you'll need:

50g/1.8oz fresh basil leaves (why not try planting basil?)

1 tablespoon (20g / 0.7oz) of pine nuts / pine seeds

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon (20g/0.7oz) of grated parmesan cheese

Extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of salt.

And the equipment...

Cheese grater

Either a handheld/small food mixer (this one is highly rated) or a pestle and mortar (I like this one).

If using a pestle & mortar: pop in the garlic and the pine seeds, then add a handful of the basil leaves and pummel into a rough paste. Keep adding basil leaves and when necessary a tablespoon of olive oil (you shouldn’t need more than three tablespoons in total). Add the parmesan cheese towards the end. Now isn't that good exercise!

And once you have your bowl of 2-person basil pesto, here are 2 thoughts on meals you can make with it...

For more details on the pesto, potato and green bean dish I mentioned in this final video, just click the image below.

New! Comments

Buy Pastastic - The Recipe Book!